1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a sign system in a sports arena. More specifically, the present invention relates to an illuminated sign system integrated with a dasher board in a hockey rink.
2. State of the Art
Signs are widely used to display promotional or informational images to observers in areas where large numbers of observers may view them, such as along roads and highways. Signs are also often used in sporting events where the signs actually become a part of the arena or the enclosed boundary of an event. For example, the boundaries of a hockey rink not only serves as an advertising means with various types of sign systems, but also as a xe2x80x9cdasher boardxe2x80x9d which takes the hockey player""s abuse of bodychecks, hits from the skates, sticks and pucks.
A popular and inexpensive method to provide advertising in a sports arena, and specifically to the dasher board in a hockey rink, is by providing the print directly to the sign surface in a fixed form. Such fixed forms may include permanently painting the images on the dasher board or by providing already prepared vinyl images to be attached to the dasher board. However, providing images to the dasher board in a fixed form can become outdated, dull, stagnant, and ineffective from an advertising standpoint. Therefore, other methods of advertising are preferred.
Another very popular method of advertising in various types of sporting arenas is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,772 (Bergeron et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,463 (Werner), each disclosing a rotating sign system. Although this type of sign system provides images that are quickly and easily changeable, the images are static and are severely limited as to the number of different images that may be provided in the rotating sign system, generally no more than three. Further, the motor for the rotating sign system protrudes from the back of the sign system, which infringes on the seating room for the spectators seated immediately behind the sign system. Furthermore, the rotating sign systems typically must be operated manually and operated on location.
Another type of sign commonly used is an illuminated sign, which are currently used for providing both static and dynamic images with an infinite number of image displays. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,568 (Holloman). Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) assembled for such displays are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,328 (Yoksza, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,649 (Alston) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,847 (Okazaki, et al.). The use of LEDs in controlled displays utilizing a trio of LEDs, e.g., a red, a blue and a green LED, to display a composite color of virtually any color in the spectrum is known and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,991 (Diller) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,114 (Brown). Such signs are provided by projecting a matrix of light emitting diodes, typically from a black sign surface. The LEDs are activated in different patterns to create one or more sequential images including images that may be likened to a continuous moving image. Significantly, the black sign surface is used so that the image projected by the LEDs provides the necessary contrast against the black sign surface to be clearly seen by viewers under most any lighting condition.
Such LED sign systems are typically used in various types of sporting arenas at elevated levels, where the sign system is not subjected to physical abuse, such as occurs with the dasher boards in a hockey rink. Further, LED sign systems are necessitated at elevated levels in a hockey rink since the system""s black sign surface would severely limit visibility of the black hockey puck during hockey play.
While it would be advantageous to provide an illuminated sign system integrated with a dasher board in a hockey rink or other similar sporting and entertainment events, such a system does not currently exist.
The present invention relates to an illuminated sign system in a sports arena such as a hockey rink. The present invention is directed to an illuminated sign system integrated with a dasher board in a hockey rink.
The sign system includes a display panel member having a plurality of apertures therein and an outer frame support for supporting the display panel member. The outer frame is rectangular in shape and protrudes away from the front surface of the display panel member. The outer frame support also supports a tough, rigid transparent sheet on the front surface of the outer frame support. The sign system also includes a circuit board assembly having a plurality of light-emitting diodes (xe2x80x9cLEDsxe2x80x9d) attached thereto and extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of LEDs are formed in a matrix of vertical columns and horizontal rows. The circuit board assembly is proximately positioned at a rear surface of the display panel member so that the plurality of LEDs register with the plurality of display panel apertures and extend therethrough.
The display panel member includes a white front surface and a rear surface with the plurality of apertures penetrating through the display panel member therein. The plurality of apertures are configured in rows and columns in the display panel member to define a matrix of apertures, wherein each aperture is configured to accept a single LED or a clustered trio of LEDs from the circuit board assembly. The white front surface of the display panel member is provided for visual contrast with black hockey pucks in hockey play.
The outer frame support is made to rigidly support the transparent sheet so that the transparent sheet overlaps the front surface of the outer frame support. The transparent sheet in connection with the outer frame support acts as the dasher board and boundary of an ice rink, and specifically, a hockey rink. As such, the transparent sheet in connection with the outer frame support will receive the direct impact hits associated with hockey play. The transparent sheet is therefore a transparent polymer of approximately a half inch thick and made to be substantially impact resistant.
The circuit board assembly includes printed circuitry on at least one surface thereof and receptacles for the plurality of LEDs. Each receptacle is configured to receive an LED trio or a clustered trio of LEDs. Each LED trio includes a red LED, a green LED and a blue LED. Each LED trio may alternately be referred to as a pixel. By this arrangement, when the circuit board assembly is in a proximate position to the rear surface of the display panel member, each LED trio is made to register and protrude through a corresponding aperture in the display panel member, thereby, providing a matrix of pixels extending through the matrix of apertures.
In one aspect of the present invention, the circuit board assembly includes a power supply and a controller for controlling the power supply to each of the LEDs in the LED trio. As such, the controller controls the images displayed by the LEDs by controlling which LEDs in the matrix of pixels emit visual light.
In one embodiment of the present invention, LEDs not needed for a particular image are prevented or controlled from emitting light. In another embodiment, LEDs not needed for a particular image are made to emit white light, thereby increasing the contrast of the particular image against the white front surface of the panel member. In still another embodiment, a gamma characteristic or luminance is adjustable in those energized LEDs emitting light to increase the intensity and, thereby, the contrast of the visual light against the white front surface of the panel member.
In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the circuit board assembly includes a plurality of circuit boards, wherein each circuit board includes a matrix of LED lamps corresponding to receptacles on each circuit board. The plurality of circuit boards are made to abut side-to-side and top-to-bottom so that each of the LED lamps register and protrude through corresponding apertures in the display panel member. Each of the LED lamps on each of the circuit boards are spaced such that when the plurality of circuit boards are made to register with corresponding apertures in the display panel, there is provided substantially evenly spaced LED lamps forming a continuous matrix.
In a preferred embodiment, the outer frame support is elongated, requiring multiple display panel members abutting side-to-side to form a complete single and uniform digital dasher board display. As such, the apertures formed therein are spaced such that the apertures are substantially evenly spaced from one display panel to another to form a substantially continuous matrix of apertures.
In another aspect of the present invention, the illuminated sign system includes at least one shock absorber to absorb impact shocks imposed on the outer frame support and the transparent sheet from being transferred to the display panel and circuit boards. Such shock absorber is thus positioned between the outer frame support and the display panel member to protect the display panel member and said circuit board assembly from the impacts received to the transparent sheet and outer frame support.
In one embodiment, the at least one shock absorber includes a rigid member extending through a resilient member. The rigid member is made for bolting to the outer frame support and being secured to the display panel member. The resilient member is made for absorbing the impacts to the transparent sheet to therefore prevent jarring and potentially damaging the display panel member and the circuit board assembly.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art through a consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.